Vet reveals why rabbits are not a good pet for children and bust common myths about owning bunnies

An Australian vet has warned parents against adopting rabbits for young children and busted the common misconception that bunnies are ‘easy’ pets. 

Dr Tim Montgomery, from Sydney, said rabbits are far more high-maintenance than many people realise and require a high level of care and attention. 

He said bunnies should not be confined to a hutch, can bite as they don’t like being handled, shouldn’t be fed carrots in high quantities and have some surprising similarities to horses. 

Sydney veterinarian Dr Tim Montgomery has revealed why rabbits are not suitable pets for young children and busted some common misconceptions about bunny ownership 

‘I will often have clients come in having recently a purchased rabbit for their children assuming that they will be simple pets that are easy to care for which is not always the case,’ he said. 

‘A lot of people don’t realise how similar rabbits are to horses. I tend to call them little furry horses without hooves.’ 

Dr Tim said rabbits and children don’t always mix because of the animal’s aversion to being handled and he has seen some tragic incidents on the job. 

‘Whether you’re an adult or a child, if you see a cute rabbit the first thing you want to do is give it a snuggle or pat,’ he said. 

‘Unfortunately I have seen countless cases of rabbits that have been accidentally suffocated by children who just loved their rabbit too much which can be understandably devastating for everyone involved.’ 

As bunnies are prey animals, unlike dogs and cats, Dr Tim said they can feel threatened if handled and it may not be obvious to owners if their pet is in distress. 

Dr Tim (pictured) said rabbits are far more high maintenance than many people realise and require a high level of care and attention

‘They will sometimes ‘play dead’ or go into a trance when they’re placed in a vulnerable position such as being held on their back,’ he said. 

‘This means pet parents can think that their bunny enjoys being held on their back when in actual fact they find it extremely frightening and are essentially frozen with fear.’ 

They can also panic when being handled and bite children hard ‘without meaning to’.  

He said bunnies have complex needs and a similar dental make-up to horses.

‘People don’t realise how important a rabbit’s dental health is. Rabbits, like horses, can die if their teeth are not looked after well,’ he explained. 

‘Many rabbits require regular dentistry under anaesthetic at a vet hospital in order to maintain their teeth.’

Dr Tim added because rabbits aren’t as common as cats and dogs in Aussie homes and are banned as pets in some states and territories,  some vets are not confident in treating them so it can be hard for owners to find veterinary care.

The animal doctor dispelled some common myths about keeping rabbits and said they shouldn’t be kept in hutches or fed many carrots. 

‘Because of the Bugs Bunny cliché, they’re often fed large amounts of carrots which is basically KFC for bunnies – they’re high in calories and not very good for them in high quantities,’ he said. 

Rabbits need an enclosure that is 3mx2mx1m ‘at least’, giving bunnies the ability to roam from time to time and feeding them a diet of 80-90 per cent ‘high-quality green hay’

‘Wild rabbits live in large underground warrens, and above ground they can hop for kilometres each day, this means they can struggle when they are confined to a hutch.’

He recommended an enclosure that is 3mx2mx1m ‘at least’, giving bunnies the ability to roam from time to time and feeding them a diet of 80-90 per cent ‘high-quality green hay’. 

Parents who buy their kids a rabbit should be prepared for the responsibility of welcoming one into their home, Dr Tim said. 

‘I’ve been amazed on some occasions to meet children in the consult room who are very well informed and dedicated to caring for their pets but kids are kids,’ he said. 

‘They are easily distracted and may not be fully equipped to give their pet all they need for their whole life. This means parents should always be acting as the backup and supervising their child’s care of their pets.’